Fodor's Expert Review Lydgate Farms

Hawaii is the only state in the country where Theobroma cacao grows—the tree whose seeds become chocolate—and the Lydgates are on a mission to grow enough cacao on their family farm that one day they will produce an identifiable Kauai homegrown chocolate. For now, you can tour this organic farm (in addition to cacao, they grow vanilla, timber trees, bamboo, and many tropical fruits) and learn how chocolate is made, "from branch to bar," as they put it. The three-hour tour includes, of course, plenty of chocolate tastings. Reservations are required for the morning tour, which runs weekdays at 9 am.